Improvement in artificial legs



W. M. HAWKINS.

Improvement in Artificial-Legs.

Patented July 16,1872.

Unrrnn Sra'rns PATENT Orrrcn.

WILLIAM MIN'ION HAWKINS, OF ELBA, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ARTlFlClAL LEGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,340, dated July 16,1872.

SPECIFICATION. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WrLLrAM MrNroN HAW- KINS of Elba, in the county ofCoffee and in the State of Alabama, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Artificial Legs and-I do hereby declare that the fol--which case is open on one side, with holes and strings to lace and tiethe open side of the case together. 'Ihe case is stitfened by means ofseveral steel ribs secured to the wooden stock, and the case has, at ornear its top, a buckle on each side, which secures the ends of the strapby which the artilicial leg is held up, said strap being double andresting on the users shoulders; to thelower end of the stock there isfirmly fixed a metal tube, and the foot of the leg is provided with ametal tube that will just fit within the tube secured to the stock. Ihefoot is of wood with rubber sole, and by means of a stout screw orscrew-bolt, that runs in a couple of nuts in the body of the artificialleg,is attached thereto; the screwbolt is prevented from turning,.whendesired, by a small screw; all of which will be more speciiicallyhereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation,

showing my invention when complete. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thesame, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the case.

Like letters in the several figures indicate like parts.

A is the wooden body or stock. It has secured around it several steelribs extending up as high as the leathern case B, to which said'ribs areriveted and serve to strengthen and to stiffen it. One of these ribs isshown in section at C, Fig. 2, and the rivets c in Fig. l indicate therelative position of two of these ribs. The case B, within which thestump 7 is to be placed when my invention is in use,

is made of stout leather, and is made with one side open nearly itsentire length, so as to adjust the case to the st-ump. By means ofeyelet-holes and springs (see Fig. 1) the open side of the case B canbe'properly secured; and by furnishing an extra flap or tongue,77 b,(see Figs. 2 and 3,) of leather, the size of the case as to its diametercan be considerably increased without exposure to the inclosed stump.77rlhe case B is firmly fastened to the stock A, and the steel ribs arebetween the outside of the case and its lining d. (See Fig. 2.) Apadding, to prevent the users crotch from being injured by the case B,is provided at e, Fig. 2. D D are two buckles on short straps f, onopposite sides of the case B, (see Fig. 1,) to which is fastened thedouble strap E. Strap E is to pass over or rest on both shoulders of theuser of my invention. To the lower end of stock A is suitably securedthe metal tube F; in this tube F it is intended that the metal tube G(which will just fit within tube F) will slide. The tube G is firmlyattached to the foot H, which is made of wood, with a ferrule, g, andsole of rubber h.A A screw or screw-bolt, I, is firmly fixed in the topof the foot H, and passing through nuts J in stock A, and a hole incenter of said stock connects the foot H to the stock A. By screwing upor down this screw I the foot I-I is run up or down, so as to lengthenor shorten the leg as desired, the tube G sliding up or down in the tubeF with ease. WVhen itis desired to secure the screw-bolt I the screw t'is turned down firmly to it.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The case B with tongue b, the steel ribs and rivets, and straps E ff,and buckles D D, in combination with stock A, when constructed andoperating together, substantially as described, and for the purpose setforth.

2. The foot H h G g with screw I, in com bination with the stock A, tubeF,nuts J, and screw i, when constructed and operating together,substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above-described certain new and usefulimprovements in artificial legs,77 I have hereunto signed my name this30th day of May, 1872.

WILLIAM M. HAWKINS.

Witnesses.

C. S. Lun, Jr., Guo. P. ROBERTS.

